Wisconsin Life

(bass music synced with animation) "What's the craziest thing that's happened in your cab?" I get this question once in a while from intoxicated college students shoulder-to-shoulder in my back seat, their eyes peering into my rear-view mirror, anticipating some captivating story. I picked up this job about two years ago when I was looking for a weekend side job. I planned to apply for a position at some traditional business, but wasn't quite connecting with any of that type of work. Then one day, while waiting at a stop light, I saw a taxi in the opposite direction and I thought... "Hmm." I had some preconceived ideas of what taxi driving was about. My friends and family had their opinions, too. One relative practically forbade me to continue, out of fear of me being hurt by a psychotic passenger. Such headlining tragedies do happen, but very rarely. Chances are, the most pain I would endure is cleaning up after a drunken passenger gets sick in my cab. For the most part, driving people from point A to point B can be fun, or at least interesting. I can have a five- to 20-minute conversation with a total stranger. I can learn about cutting-edge research from a university professor, what it takes to own a tavern from a business owner, what it's like playing in a touring rock and roll tribute band from a guitar player, or, what joys and sorrows are currently in my passengers' life. I once said to a friend, "It's like being a bartender on wheels." Then there are times when I get words of wisdom from a fare. One time, this passenger and I were discussing close relationships and the trials of them. We shared some of our experiences, scratched our heads, and had a laugh. While our time was short, that conversation still resonates with me today. Other times, you may have an unexpected moment with a person. Once, an intoxicated passenger said in a confessional tone, he had an alcohol problem. All that came out of my mouth was, "That doesn't mean you're a bad person." His eyes lit up for a moment and he said, "That was beautiful." It's not all just about relationships with people. My relationship with Madison has evolved, too. Before becoming a cab driver, my mind thought of the city as a 'Top Ten List' of reasons to live here. Now, I feel part of the lifeblood of the city, seeing it as a living being. I know when it's sleepy, when it's awake, where it suffers, where it's healing, and when it feels hopeful. When I get the question, what's the craziest thing that's happened in your cab? I smile and change the subject, knowing that the answer is not what has happened within my cab, but what has happened within me.